Mark Helfrich: 'Coaching Oregon is the pinnacle for me'

EUGENE — Mark Helfrich, a Coos Bay native who grew up
rooting for the Ducks, was emotional, self-deprecating and witty during a press conference Sunday afternoon that introduced him as Oregon's 32nd head
football coach.

"I've been the luckiest man in the world," Helfrich said. "... Coaching Oregon is the pinnacle for me."

Helfrich, 39, succeeds Chip Kelly, who left the Ducks on
Wednesday to coach the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles.

Helfrich was emotional in his opening remarks as he thanked his family, including his father, Mike, a longtime Ducks fan who died in September 2011.

"Somewhere, he is very proud," Helfrich said.

Athletic director Rob Mullens said he interviewed five other coaching candidates for the job before officially settling on Helfrich on Friday night.

"This is a special day for Oregon family," Mullens siad. "... I'm excited to see the Mark lead the Ducks to even greater heights."

In 2009, Helfrich was hired by Kelly to be Oregon's
offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Helfrich has served in that role
for the past four seasons, during which the Ducks grew into one of the most
accomplished and popular programs in the country.

Oregon was 46-7 during Kelly's tenure as head coach, with
four berths to BCS bowl games, including the 2011 BCS National Championship
Game, and three consecutive Pac-12 Conference championships.

In January 2012, when it appeared Kelly was prepared to
leave Oregon for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Oregon
turned to Helfrich as Kelly's potential successor.

Asked about the differences between him and Kelly, Helfrich quipped: "I won't wear a visor. I'll eat more vegetables."

Helfrich was Kelly's choice all along as the Ducks'
next head coach.

"I think Helf could succeed at anything he wanted to," Kelly
said after Oregon's 35-17 victory over Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan.
3. "Intelligent, detail-oriented, great manager of people, great friend. One of
the funniest guys I've met in my entire life. ...

"I think he's special. I love the guy."

Helfrich is the first native Oregonian
to serve as UO head coach since John Warren in 1942.